title: Nutritional status at diagnosis in children with cancer. 2. An assessment by arm anthropometry.
abstract: Assessment of nutritional status in children with cancer is important but measures based on weight can be problematic at diagnosis, especially in those with advanced disease. Likewise, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry may be confounded by other radiological procedures and is not commonly available in low-income countries where most children with cancer live. Arm anthropometry is not subject to these constraints. In a study sample of 99 Canadian patients with cancer at diagnosis, mid-upper arm circumference correlated well with lean body mass as measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry but triceps skin fold thickness was a poor predictor of fat mass. Arm anthropometry can be a useful tool for the measurement of nutritional status in children with cancer. However, further studies, particularly in low-income countries and in children with solid tumors at diagnosis, are required to determine the full extent of its utility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. rbarr@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Trishana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nayiager
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doring
authors.forename: Charlene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halton
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Webber
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000886:Anthropometry; D001132:Arm / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012885:Skinfold Thickness